Apparatus for indicating the flow of subsurface fluids



- March 17, '1931. 1.. E. 'rRoUT 1,796,547

PPAIRATJS FOR INDICATING THE FLOW OF SUBSURFACE FLUIDS l Filed ne. 4. 192s Patented Mar. 17, i931 1,796,547

UNITED STATES PATENT -oEFicE y LAURENCE E. TROUT, F WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS i APPARATUS FOR INDICATING THE FLOW 0F SUBSURFACE FLUIDB Application led December 4, 1928. Serial No. 323,696.

rlhis invention relates to apparatus for inpresent invention, the prevailing uncertainty dicating the flow of subsurface fluids and it in prospecting for oil, `gas and water is rehas particular reference to an apparatus deduced materially, since after a test well has signed to be lowered into oil, water or gas been drilled disclosing the presence of fluid, n wells and from which a reading may be oblittle difliculty is encountered in determining 55 tained indicating the direction taken by the the most advantageous 'location for another fluid in its underground passage, and the and more productive well. principal object of the invention resides in lVitli the foregoing objects as paramount, the provision of an apparatus broadly for the invention has particular reference to its l0 the purposes specifiedand particularly usesalient features of construction and opera- 60 ful in geological surveys for oil bearing strata tionof parts, to become manifest as the deas well as for water or gas. scription proceeds, taken in connection with Another Iobject of the invention resides `the accompanying drawings, wherein; in the provision of an apparatus of the char- Figure 1 represents an elevational view in acter specified by which a fixed reading may vertical section of an apparatus constructed 65' be obtained of fthe direction in 'which the according to the present invention. fluid is flowing, thereby rendering it pos- Figure 2 is an elevational view thereof. sible to dig or drill a well with reasonable Figure 3 is adetail View insection of the assure of production within the area indimeans actuated by the movements of the apcated by the pointer provided in the apparaparatus for locking the vane.A 70 tus. Figure 4 is a sectional view on lines 4:--4

Another object of the invention is to proof-Figure 2, and vide a means for indicating the presence of Figure v5 is a sectional View on lines 5-5 a porous medium or stratum capable of carof Figure 2. 5 ryingoifpcrmitting the flow therethrough of The capability of the invention in perform- 75 fluids, either liquids or gaseous. ing according to the objects set out in the The invention 'further aims among its obforegoing is manifest in combining a means jects the provision of an indicator of the charagainst which the fluid acts and is moved to acter specified capable of registering with a position parallel to the flow of such fluid; 3 maximum efficiency, the highest structural a means apart from the first means and hav- 80 point in a porous medium through which ing a point indicating'a common direction, has been drilled a new well, since gravity which is unaected by the action of the fluid, and back pressure from volatile products are together with means for locking both first the then prime moving factors, that is to say, named means in position, and the position the invention, when lowered into a. new well, of the first means, as compared with` that of is capable of obtaining true and fixed readthe second means, after each has'been fixedv ings of the natural movements ofthe fluid in position, will disclose the direction in which have not been disturbed by pumping. which the fluid is flowing. Broadly, the invention compreliends the Accordingly, the invention. consists p rio provision of an apparat-us which is particumarily of a barrel l having therein a series larly useful in prospecting for oil bearing of perforations 2 through which fluid may sands, success in which has been heretofore pass unrestrictedly when the apparatus is purely speculative and consequently vvery exlowered into a well. A plug 3 isheld .b pensive, due primarily to the fact that no dey screws 4 in the top of the barrel 1,1n whic pendable readings could be obtained of the is threaded at diametrically opposite points subsurface formations, the presence of oil bolts 5. A cross head 6, having aboss 7, slot- A bearing porous medium, vorthe direction in ted at (i, supports the structure through its which the fluids were flowing. In providin connection with bolts 5. means for determining the direction in whic c The structure 1s suspended in the well by o the fluid is flowing, as accomplished by the rod 8,having a looped end 9 to which maybe the cross-head, and to prevent undue turn-v ed to the rod and co-operates wit slot a. The advantage of this limited vertical movement may be understood by reference to Figure 3, in which is shown a portion of the threaded end of rod 8, arrangedto receive nut 11, and having on its extreme end a reduced, biureated portion 12, opposing which are arranged in parallel relationshi short rods 13, capable of free movement t rough plug 3 in the top of barrel 1. The lower ends of these rods have aixed thereto a ring-like element 14, having a toothed or serrated edge 15, which, upon movement of the member 14, caused by vertical movement of rods 13, locks the vane 16, by en agement with its top at the reinforcement 1%.

Returning to Figure 3, it is noted that a pair of co-operating links 18, are engaged at `their ends to a pin 19 in the bifurcated portion 12 of suspension rod 8 and at their opl posite ends to the tops of each of the short rods 13, as shown. The slotted ends of these links allow for limited displacement of the links, and this, together with the fact that the hnksare pivoted intermediate their ends at c to vertical studs 20, cause the serrated member 14 to move toward and from the top of vane 16 during the limited movement permitted by the structure upon the suspension rod 8, as previously explained. As the description proceeds however, this feature of the invention will be more completely described.

The vane 16, as ap posed vertically, an entering bosses 22, at extend pivots 23, the upper of which enters the recessed vbearing 24, which is in the form of a threaded cap screw, to provide means for adjusting the tension upon the pivot. The lower of these pivots enters a .central recess and rovided to aiord a hardened bearing for t e pivot, and further, to render visible the compass therebelow, which is comprised of magnetic pointer 26 suspended u on a needle 27, the latter being connected y means of a pin 28 and rod 29 to a weight 30 below the barrel 1. Adjustable stops 31 are threadedly mounted on rod 29, as apparent in Figure 1, to relieve any strain upon the delicate mechanism of the com ass caused by suspens ion of weight when the apparatus is llfted Access is gained to these stops. as well as to the packing gland 32, below the compass, through ports 33 on either side of the ower portlon 34, connected to the barrel 1 by means of its threaded connection with oomarent inv Figure 1, is disis secured to a rod 21,

lgxof the structure on the rod 8, a in b is -p either end from which pass housing 35, containing also the frangile plate 25,' which in turn is connected to barrel 1 by set screws 36. A packing gland 37 is provided at the joint'between the barrel and portion 34 just described.

Reposin within an annular recess in a collar 38, lmmediately above the .frangible late 25 is a circularscale 39, bearing letters indicative of the four points of the compass, one of which is represented at 40 in Figure 2, and which are exteriorly visible through openings 41 on either side of barrel 1. Divi sional lines intermediate the four y major points on the scale 39, provide a common means by which a precise reading may be obtained of the geometrical condition of sand bearing oil, water or gas within the immediate vicinity of the point where the apparatus is lowered into the earth, by the correspondingr positions of the pointer 42, affixed to the vane 16, and the compass pointer 26, normally indicating north. The means provided for locking the compass pointer 26 in position preparatory to withdrawing the apparauts for reading is shown in Figure 5 and comprises a circular arrangement of spaced, vertically disposed pins 43, which receive the ends of pointer 26 when the weight 30 is suspeilldedupon raising the apparatus out of the we l.

Having described in detail the various parts of the invention and their relationship, the operation thereof will be fully set forth.

The`apparatus is suspended upon a cable or the like and lowered into the well, guides 44 expediting this action. When the weight of the structure is de osited upon the bottom of ythe hole, the weig t 30 strikes first, and the lower portion 34 continues downward until stopped by lateral pin 45 operating in slot 46. This action raises the pointer 26 from locked position between pins 43, since the needle 27 is stationary with respect to weight 30, allowing the pointer to assume a Yposition magnetic north.

Simultaneous with the action releasing the com ass pointer, displacement of the rod 8 as a orded by the limited movement between nuts 10k and 11, causes the links 18 to rock upon their pivots c, moving rods 13 upward, elevating serrated ring 14 out of engagement with the vane 16, allowing the latter to be freely actuated by the fluid currents, as the latter flows beneath the ground surface into the well or opening in which the apparatus reposes, through the perforated. barrel 1.

en the apparatus is withdrawn from the hole, reverse action to that above described is obtained to simultaneously lock the compass pointer and vane, that is to say, limited upward movement of suspension rod 8, before actual lifting of the structure begins, causes the rods 13 to be lowered through action of links 18, bringing the serrated edge 15 of ring 14 down upon the vane, locking rangement shown in Fi ure 3, and the action of the weight 30 upon t e compass, will lock both the vane 16 and compass pointer 26, the latter indicating the common direction north, ascompared with the direction in which the fluid is flowing, as indicated by the pointer 42 carried by the vane 16. Consequently, irrespective of any movement of the apparatus, after its removal from the well, the locked condition of the elements referred to remains intact, and the relative positions of the pointers will disclose not only the direction in which the fiuid is flowing, but also will dis-` close by geological research, the condition, osition and other peculiarities in the geoogical formations of the subsurface porous mediums.

The foregoing specifications reveal possibilities and purposes of the invention, all of which, together with every good and'useful purpose served'by the invention are deemed as rightfully within the category of its objects.

I claim: 1. An apparatus for determining the action of subsurface iiuids including a barrel having fluid inlets, a direction ow indicator in the barrel, a latching device for said indicator, means for raising and lowering the barrel, automatic means connected tosaid raising and lowering means and to said latching device for operating the latter'upon raising of the barrel, a magnetic meridian indicator,

and automatic latching means to latch the meridian indicatorvu on raising of the barrel'.

2. An apparatus or determining the action of subsurface fluids including a barrel havino' fluidinlets, a direction flow indicator in the arrel, a-latchin device for'said indicator, means for raising Aand lowering the barrel, levers pivoted intermediate their ends to the barrel and extending radially with re- '.spect to said barrel, said levers being pivoted at their inner ends to said raising and lowering means, means connected to said latching device and pivoted to the outer ends of the levers for operating the device bythe levers, a magnetic meridian indicator, and

automatic latching means to latch the meridian indicator upon raising of the barrel.

3. An apparatus for determining the action of subsurface iuids, including a barrel having fluid inlets, a magnetic meridian indicator, fixed pins carried by the barrel and located beneath the indicator to latch the latter, a slidable weight carried by the barrel, and means to connect the indicator tothe weight for sliding therewith whereby upon raising of the barrel the weight will gravitate p and move the indicator into engagement with certain of the pins. Y

4. An apparatus for determining the action of subsurface fluids, including a barrel having fluid inlets, a magnetic meridian indicator, means carriedby the barrel to latch the indicator, a slidable weight carried, by the barrel, and means to connect the indicator to the weight whereby upon raising of the barrel the weight will gravitate and move the indicator into engagement with said latching means.

5. An apparatus for determinin the action of subsurface fluids, including a arrel having Huid inlets, a magnetic meridian indicator, a slidable weight carried by the barrel', latchin means for the indicator, and means to eect relative movement between the indicator and latching means upon raising of the bar-rel and thereby gravitation of the weight to hold the indicator against p movement. i

6. Adevice for determining the direction of How of subsurface iuids including indicating means operable by the 4flow of the fluid, magnetic meridian indicating means, and

automatic means for latching each of said means upon movementofv the apparatus out gravity responsive means automatically operable upon raising of the barrel to latch the other indicating means.

8. An apparatus for determining the action of subsurface fluids combining a direction finder influenced by the current of said Huid and a magnetic meridian indicator; a scale common to each of said elements, and automatic means'for locking said elements-in' xed position when said apparatus is withdrawn from the infiuence o 'said fluid current.v

9. An apparatus for determining the action of subsurface fluids combining a direction finder influenced by the current of said fluid and a magnetic meridian indicator; a scale common to each of said elements, and automatic means actuated by the weight of said apparatus to lock said elements in fixed position.

In testimony'whereof I aix my signature.

, l LAURENCE E. TROUT. 

